Teacher You Can Count On: Shawnda King

At Wheatley Elementary one kindergarten teacher is striving to teach more than the basics to her students. She's inspiring greatness. NewsChannel 11's Suleika Acosta bring us this week's teacher you can count on.

Inside this classroom at Wheatley Elementary, kindergartners are grasping the basics and beyond. "What I do in the classroom, that's the core that we build on every single day. In reading, writing, math, science, social studies, every area we tie it all in order to teach the whole child," says Teacher Shawnda King.

But she's more than just the teacher, she's a best friend. "They can't determine what type of home life they have and so I try to use the time that we have here to talk about love, to talk about being nice, about being friends," explains Mrs. King. She's is helping her students discover a world beyond their imagination... "Now tell every thing that you can see, look all around," she says to students.

Her method is simple: she focuses on building up student's self esteem and confidence. According to Mrs. King it's the only way to begin the learning process. "When you do all of that you are lifting the spirits, you are letting the child know that you are important to me and I love you with all my heart," she says.

"Let's go back and read from the very beginning, I need my readers to read," she says to the her students. Mrs. King's bubbly personality grabs the student's attention. She uses poetry, rhythms and sounds to teach them reading skills, and it works.

Mrs. King hopes her teaching will leave an imprint on each student, for a lifetime. "I want them to walk out of here knowing that they had a year with a teacher that loved them, cared for them, disciplined them, and was there for them every single day," she says.

Many of Mrs. King's students leave her class reading above grade level. Some, at the third grade level.